Refrigerator



C. H. NAUERT REFRIGERATOR May 26, 1942.

' Filed Dec. 8, 1939 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1= y 42 c. H. NAUERT 21284339 REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 8, 1959' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v a o 0 Patented May 26, 1942, c

I 2,284,339 REFRIGERATOR 1 Carl H. Nauert, Evansville. Ind., assignor to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December a, 1939, Serial $308,269 9 Claims... (.01. 312-156).

This invention relates to refrigerators, and

. more particularly to improved shelf structurefor a refrigerator cabinet; V r H An object of the invention is to provide an improved shelf structure for a refrigerator cabinet in which the shelf is slidable and also adjustable todifferentpositions withoutrem'oving the shelf:

from the cabinet. 7

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will'be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings forming a part ofthe specifiw Fig. 5 is a view in front perspective of the food compartment portion of a refrigerator cabinet including shelf structure of a modified form'with respect to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the shelf structure shown in Fig. 5, the shelf beingshown in an upper position in dotted lines;

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially on the line 1-1, Fig. 6; and 1 Figs. 8 and 9 are detail perspective views of a sides |8a of a shelf l8. formed of bent wire or rodstock and having a plurality of ribs extending from the frontvto the rear of the shelf, The guides ll may be provided with stops 19 to prevent the shelf 18 from being completely pulled out of; the guides. i 1 f when it is desired to adjust the shelf to the upper position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2 from its lower full line position, it isponly necessary to raise the shelf a small distance until the arms 15 are no longerxlocked in the slots a. The shelf i8 is then moved forward and upward with the arms l5 makings, .full half turn. The shelf is then lowered so that the slotsilla in arms l5 receive the supports I3, whereby the shelf i8 is now locked in its upper position. To lower the shelf l8, the, entire shelf is raised so that slots a. at the upper ends of the centralreleasable shelf stop forming part of the shelf assembly of Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

' Referring to the drawings and first to'Figs. 1

to 4 inclusive, a refrigerator cabinet l0 includes an inner metal shell l2 forming a food compartment H. I w

The shelf structure embodying the invention comprises front and rear sets of shelf supports in the form of pivot studs or analogous members 13 each of which has anenlarged head l2a U-sliaped guides 11 having spaced horizontal sides defining guideways. "a are provided at the lateral sides of compartment I LnThe .guideat each side of compartment II ispivoted at llto the front and rear arms l5. The guidewaysi'la of the U-shaped guides -.l1 receive the lateral erally indicated at 20 and having a food compartment liner 2| defining a food compartment 22.

The shelf structure in this instance is so. constructed as to'require only one set ofJsupporting Shelf supporting arms and coactlng supports. studs 2l having'heads' 23a are-provided at each side of the food compartment, each of said heads being adapted to pass through a central opening 24 formed in a supporting arm 25 there beings pair of said arms and hooks for each shelf: At opposite ends of the opening 24, each arm' isformed with, narrow slots 2lato receive the studs 23 and lock the arms 25 in position. The central openings 24 permit angular movement of the 7 arms "about the supporting studs 23 when said arms are moved to cause the slots'2la to clear the said studs. I

-U-shaped guides 26 having spacedhorizontal sides defining guideways care provided at opposite sides of the compartment 22. Each guide 26. is pivoted at 2'! to the arms IS. The guideways 28a of the U-shaped guides 28 receive the lateralsides 28a of a shelf 28 formed of bent wire or rod stock and having a plurality of ribs extending from the,front to the rear of the shelf.

, Instead of having studsand arms forsupport ing the rear endof theshelf 28.,the rear wall of the food compartment liner 2i is formed with vertically spaced and aligned openings to receive manner such s,

the shelf from the lowermost position shown-in i full lines in Fig. 6 to the uppermost positioni shownin dotted 'linesinisaid figure, the guides I I y I located at' different vertical positions in the 26 may be raiseduntil the slots 24 of the arms 25 clear the studs 23, and simultaneously the guides maybe withdrawn until: the. projections til clear their coacting sockets 29,- whereupon the shelf'togetherf-with'the guides may be swung V a in 8. half circle, bringing the projections '3 I m registrationwith the sockets-29i'gand at the same time permitting the slots 24a to' again ening m'emberasockets carried by the rear wall of said liner, and projections on said shelf carry-. ing'members adapted to engage in said sockets,

the shelf being adjusted to difierentvertical positionsinQthe food compartment by withdrawing the shelf joutwardly to cause the projections to clear-said sockets 1 and moving said arms in a cause different slots' mto engage the hooksi aasneu me ntmg for a refrigerator cabinet having an inner wall or liner defining a food compartment, comprising 'a pair of substantially horizontally shelf-carrying members "having'g'uideways therein, one at each side of the compartmentfa shelf slidably mounted in said guideways, means for supporting the front extremity-of-the shelf including arms pivotally connectedsto said members and having; slots arms, an enlarged opening communicating with v saidslots, shelf; hooks; projectingoutwardly from the sides of said liner adapted to engage in said aslots,-sockets-,carried;by,the rear; wall of the liner; projecti9nson .said members adaptedfto gage the studs 23.1 It will be understood that the sockets 29' and 2B'Emaybe of a diameter such I aswill permit ascertain amount'of clearance; with respect to'lthe projections 3|, to facilitate adjustment of the 'shelf. I

Stops 32 are providedinconn'ection with each guide 28 and are preferably disposed, :at i an; in:

terinetiiate point along the latter and also at the front of the guides." These stops are prefer ably hinged as at 33, to permit the-stop portion 32a-of each member "to beraised clear ,of the guideways 26a whenever ,desired so-that theshelf may b'ewithdrawn either half way out of they .40

food compartment or substantially; completely therefrom. The hinges; 33 may beformed by striking out a pairrof ears 33a fromthewalls of i the "guides-36, said ears having a hinge pinvpro-l and 9. I

structi on and .designqmay be adopted without :engagejin said sockets to thereby provide a support forthe rear extremity of the shelf the shelf drawing the guides and shelf outwardlytof'ca'use the projections to clear said sockets and swing;

latter into registration with differe'ntslots and j said projections sockets; l

into registration" with: different A. In a.. .refr igeratorcabinet having an, inner wall or linerf defining a food compartment, a pair .ofsubstantially horizontally. aligned sup ports oneiateach-side of said compartm'ent,shelf brackets one for eachsupportingmemberslid departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention as defined by the appended claims. 7

What is claimed is: j i I a.

For use-tin a food compartment of a refrigerator cabinet, shelf; structure including members fixed to thewall of;s a'id compartment, arms said arms, said shelf being adjustable to' .dif-- ferent' vertical positions in saidfcompartment-jby releasing the slots from said membersandrotating said arms about theSIatter and then engaging other slots oversaid members,

' 7 having slots at ,different l vertical positionsjand 7 2; A shelf mounting frar'efrigerator' cabinet having an inner wall o' 1 '";liner defining a'food compartment,'comprising a pair of substantially horizontally disposed shelfcarrying members, one at each side of said compartment; a shelf carried by said members, hookseor-analogous hangers" projecting outwardly from said liner within the region of the front of -the *compart- 1 men't, arms having slots; adapted to engage said" otally connecting said "arms to-saidshelf carryably and pivotallymountedon said supports; a

shelf pivoted at-its front extremity to said bracke ets, and whereby the shelf may be supported on a said supports in one position and may be swingably suspended from said supportsby said brack- 1 jected therethrough, note; particularly Figs d ets, when "moved to g a second position, sockets carried 7 by the rear linen, and mean associated with said shelf jadaptedto :engage said sockets food compartment, pivot members located in thefront areaof thefoo'd compartment on opposite side walls of the compartmenta shelffmeans pivotally; connected to the shelf 'andiswiri'gably supporting the front extremity of the latter from said pivot members, sockets carried. by the rear walliof the liner, and'projectlons carried by said shelfand adapted engage inrsaid sockets,"

, 6.;A refrigerator cabinet having, a vertical wall,

a. supporting member pivotallyt and slidably secured-to thewall, a. shelf said supporting, memberbein'g connected to said shelf in pivotal relationwhereby said shelf may be supported on said wall inione position and may be movedto a second position by pulling said ,shelfforwardlyand upwardly'and :then pushingthelsame rearwardly andeffecting' apivotalaction between the supe porting member and the shelf and: alcornbined pivotaland sliding action betweenathe supporting a member'and'thewalla.i v

4:57. I A refrigerator-cabinet including vertical wall ,7 ;members, supports mounted on i 1 hooks, 'said'slots being located in'diiTerentAverd mam -bers, shelf hangers mounted on;the said supports inpivotal: relation thereto, a shelf pivotally connected iosaidfhangers, said hangers having a slida'ble connection-with said supports",the slidbeing adjusted to different vertical positionslbyl ports.

able and pivotal connection of said hangers with respect to said supports providin: adjustment of the shelves to different distances from said sup 8. In a refrigerator cabinet, a shelf, a mounting for the shelf comprising substantially horizontally aligned supports, means mounting the shelf on said supports including swinsable shelf brackets slldably and plvotally connected to said supports whereby the shelf may be adjusted to different elevations, slid supports and brackets being provided with. coacting means for securing the brackets in relatively fixed adjusted position with respect to said supports.

9. Cabinet structurecomprising opposed side 15 elevations, while maintaining the shelf in its nor- 1 mal horizontal position, the rear wall or the cabinet and the rear portion of the shelf being provided with inter-engaging means for supporting the rear portion of the shelf at difierent elevation corresponding to the adjustment of the front portion of the shelf.

CARL H. NAUERT. 

